1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an exercise treadmill and more specifically to a treadmill with a tread base that may be reoriented from a first or exercise position to a second or upright storage position.
2. State of the Art
Typical treadmills include a continuous or endless belt trained about a pair of laterally extending rollers mounted to and between spaced apart longitudinally extending rigid treadmill frame members. A deck is secured to and between the frame members or rails; and the endless belt moves over and under the deck upon rotation about the laterally extending rollers positioned at opposite ends of the deck.
Non-motorized treadmills typically have a flywheel to store energy from the user moving the tread. The flywheel delivers the energy to the front roller to maintain even rotation or operation of the tread particularly when the user is moving on the treadmill in such a fashion that the user's feet simultaneously leave the treadmill or substantially leave the treadmill, such as when jogging or running.
In a typical motorized treadmill, an electric motor is provided to supply rotational torque to the front roller to, in turn, drive the endless belt. The motor is typically operated through controls positioned on a control console operable by a user positioned on the endless belt.
Many treadmills have an upright post or column with a control console positioned at the front end of the treadmill to contain controls or present information desirable or useful to the user. For example, time, speed, pulse, calorie-burn and other similar information may be presented in one or more different combinations. Controls for speed, inclination, exercise program or the like, may also be part of the control console. In other circumstances, a tape player, disc player or similar device may be mounted or attached to the upright post for operation by the user during the exercise period.